


Nine One Thousand

by Rerun_Nachbild



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Emotions, Experimental Style, F/M, Gen, M/M, Prose Poem, becoming human
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:07:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29572215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rerun_Nachbild/pseuds/Rerun_Nachbild
Summary: Nine events in Data’s early years after activation.In the first chapter, Data travels over the colony on Omicron Theta, oblivious to the implications of rain... and clothing.
Relationships: Data & Geordi La Forge, Data & Jean-Luc Picard, Data & Juliana O’Donnell, Data & Lal (Star Trek), Data & Lore (Star Trek), Data & Noonian Soong, Data & William Riker, Data/Tasha Yar
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13
Collections: Robots and artificial lifeforms





	1. One One Thousand

I. Tremble-rain licks synthetic skin, drips from divots on accord of servos’ motion— and not of shivering. The android’s strides— distinct, gear-timed— appear brazen to the colonists— who recognize (themselves adults) the mimicry of biological  _ development _ , and decry his amblings among their hamlet. Not so readily can they realize his infancy— though he resembles a man of thirty years, his assembled neural bands have less than 30 days’ experience, cognizance, 30 days’ data written there. 

  
  


II. Data blinks rain from his eyelashes. Rain is writing itself with each stroke across his sensory receptors. Mist. Minimal tactile input. Colloquial: “a ‘soft’ rain”— “Data!” A soft cry, approaching. Recognized: Dr. O’Donnell. Juliana. “You  _ must _ wear clothing, Data. The colonists are disquieted by nakedness, you  _ know _ this.” With mimetic gestures he tests his mind’s science: “Inquiry: the average duration that a human emotion is felt amounts to ninety seconds, approximately. If this is so, how do the colonists continue—” Juliana scoffs and Data cocks his head.

  
  


III. “I’ll be glad when those archival interfaces are fully installed.” Juliana twitters, then shivers. She snaps open a robe and dresses him— caresses of terrycloth. Medium tactile input on his shoulders. Colloquially: “brushing his skin.” She straightens the mantle as a mother might her son’s dress jacket. “Noonian’s misremembered trivia are a nuisance.” Data notes her nod, smothered smile. She ties the robe closed.


	2. Two One Thousand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Data and Tasha experience an intimate moment while Tasha grapples with what she’s looking for and why.
> 
> (Mentioned oral sex.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As intriguing as Data and Tasha’s relationship is in the beginning of TNG, I feel that it is also incomplete. This chapter pokes at a small incongruity. Based on S1E2 “The Naked Now.”

I. Lieutenant Yar, stark in spine: “You’re much too efficient, Data.” Tasha, in a sparge of light, supine, sighing. Her eyes don’t decry the distance between them— askance. Tension in her  _ modioli _ , twitching. Lazy  _ frontalis _ , contracting. Data fact-checks the encounter. “Lieutenant Yar, are you satisfied after my cunilingus sub-program?”

II. Exhaling like emptying organ’s lungs, Tasha hums hauntingly. “Yes, I’m satisfied, Data.” He senses his chronometer tick. _One one-thousand, two one-thousand_ , the colonists’ kids used to count the seconds this way in play. Data considers Tasha’s taut face; the strings of muscle suggest nervosity. His curiosity subroutine trips.

III. “If I may inquire toward your intentions, why did you choose me as a partner?” Tasha wheezes- perhaps in wonder, perhaps in derision, perhaps in test of his question. Slips closed her lids. “I’ve been asking myself…” She bites her cheek from inside. “Do you have any sexual desires, Data?” — “I do not.” Honestly he answers. Tasha gives him her gaze again; she sweeps eyes up and down— his serene visage to his hands, across his clothed body. She had insisted she remain bound in her dress—  _ Deanna’s _ dress. Presently she presents her eyes and asks to be kissed.

IV. Kissing. Varying degrees of input. Anticipating patterns- but, they are erratic despite slow. Tasha is weeping. He separates but she keeps one of his fingers pressed to her lips. Pressed. Medium-high tactile input.


	3. Three One Thousand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Data is able to analyze and respond to Geordi’s emotions appropriately.

I. Geordi is expressive. He expresses his fear. Geordi possesses himself. He chooses his responses. Smile. Cry. Seesaw eyebrows, curt nod, tucked lip. Geordi impresses a thumb on the dial of an antique astrolabe. It is a going away gift. From him to Data— because Data is going away though Geordi says he can’t believe Data is going away.

II. Data’s analytical processors allow that he, factually,  _ can _ . Yet. Geordi, as humans may, makes his fear an impossibility. Humans are hostile in response to fear. But— hostility is not indicated in the softened jaw, hopping laryngeal prominence, tolerant and broken-browed. Mapping his face, Data can conclude his friend is sad.

III. “I will miss you, Geordi.”


	4. Four One Thousand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Data’s modesty routine kicks on during the hearing with Cap. Louvois.
> 
> Based on S2E9

I. Riker strides between Louvois and Data. The Commander’s tone is commanding, his paraverbals exacting. The parsteel bar Data bent, given in, as creased as the wrinkles above Will’s eyes... “I request to be allowed,” — his breath heaves, head cowed— “to remove the Commander’s hand for your inspection.” — Picard bounds forth— “Objection!”

II. It doesn’t matter. “Objection withdrawn.” Captain remits. Data submits with many meek blinks, gaze askance. Riker’s voice descends its hike. In decibels low, humble as the ground, he knots together the words: “I’m sorry.”

III. Captain watches, Louvois inspects, and Maddox pauses. They watch his hand detach with an inhuman _click_. Data detects his modesty routine running. Why? He supposes the exposure. . .

IV. Riker’s volume expands, and strikes the height of his argument. He touches Data’s side, proclaiming their difference. That distinction— the Man versus the child of His genius. That which he wrestles — Riker touches his side, where he should not know Data’s switchoff lies. He touches his side and Data wakes to the recess, after the Men have discussed him.


	5. Five One Thousand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Data confirms his agency to choose.

I. “Data.” Picard indicates the case in Data’s hand. The uptone denotes inquiry. “I’ve never known you to pack for a—“ Havering, Picard puzzles over the presentation of Data and the overnight case. “These are my personal effects, Sir.” Data explains. Picard restrains amusement— but then inquisitively inclines his head.

II. “Data,” Picard cinches an expression, sews it between halves of a question. On his behest, Data unpacks each “personal effect” showing and explaining the intention behind its company. Recognized: Starfleet service medals. Recognized: Hamlet, author- Shakespeare, William. Recognized:

III. “Data?”— when the spectre of Lt. Yar is unleashed from the holographic memory-keep. Guileless, uneasy, she stands, clasping her hands, offering her best. Hips askew.

IV. “In memory of her, Sir. Is it not customary to own such preservations of a close acquaintance’s likeness?”— Picard speaks his ponderings: “Of all of us, Data, I should think that you hold a perfect facsimile of her likeness within your memory matrix. Why then—“ Tasha’s projected jaw tightens. Her shoulders swallow her within.

V. “It was a gift, Sir. Lt. Yar wanted me to have it.” Data detects the necessity through Picard’s perplexed facial pulling for more explanation. Tasha, projected in his palm, steadies her base. “She wanted me, as she said: ‘to really have a piece of her’, Sir. ‘To keep.’”

VI. “Data— It’s only for the sake of this hearing, to which— if I understand the implication— this is most relevant” — “In terms of my agency to choose?” — “that I ask: why did Tasha…?” — “Because, Sir, I gave her ‘a piece’ if I may employ her phrasing.” Picard stitches the rift closed. “Of your own.”


End file.
